Book Review (406): Mistletoe On Main Street (Briar Creek #1) - Olivia Miles

Sleigh bells, snow, and second chances . . .Briar Creek's quaint shop windows, cozy homes nestled in snow, and neighborly residents are what Christmas dreams are made of--for everyone except Grace Madison. She left her hometown years ago to pursue a writing career. But when her father's death leaves his bookstore empty, Grace must return to face why she fled Vermont in the first place: Luke Hastings, who still heats her up like a shot of smoky whiskey on a cold winter's night.

Grace is back, and Luke is worried. How much has she changed as a bestselling author in the big city? What memories will she stir up? And was the choice he made five years ago the biggest mistake of his life?

Now, with their past, present, and future rocking around the Christmas tree, it's time for Grace and Luke to face the music . . . and the mistletoe.

My Thoughts.

To say I loved this book was an understatement, there are no words to describe how much I adored this book, as soon as I started reading the first page I was hooked, I could not put it down, my house could have been burning down around me and I wouldn't have known, Olivia's writing grabbed hold of me from the start and wouldn't let go, this book is filled with everything I love in a contemporary romance, it's like Olivia crawled into my head pulled them out and wrote this fantastic book, it has:
* small town romance
* second chance at love
* the story take place at Christmas time
* it features a bookstore
* our main heroine Grace is a best-selling author
* the gorgeous cover (I know that has nothing to do with the story but it's so pretty).

Grace has returned home to Briar Creek for Christmas, having left five years ago to escape her first love Luke and all of the memories, she settled in New York and became a best-selling author just like she'd dreamed off, after her last book received less than stellar reviews Grace has almost given up on her writing career, her one goal while here is to avoid Luke but when driving into town she finds her car stuck in a snow drift and who should come to her aid but the one person she didn't want to see Luke, both shocked at seeing each other again and with a painful history between them things are awkward to say the least.

Arriving home, for the first time since the death of her Dad, Grace is shocked to find her family's house which has in the past won numerous awards for the best decorated house at Christmas with her Mom being known around town for her competitive decorating, barely decorated with just a skinny excuse for a tree and her Mom just a shell of her former self haven't not yet come to terms with her husbands death, when Grave goes to visit her Dads bookstore in town which was his pride and joy she comes to discover that it's been closed, her family knowing how much the shop meant to her were too afraid to tell her knowing how upset she'd be when she found out, Grace decides to try and save the store to be able to afford the next years lease, with a plan in mind to hopefully expand with a cafe into the empty store next door, but things don't go to plan when the owner refuses to give it up, Grace has to come to terms with possibly closing the last link she has to her Dad and also dealing with the tension she incurs every time she's around Luke, will these two ever reconcile the past and realise that they are meant to be?

Filled with love, loss, grief and the rediscovery of the Christmas spirit, this is definitely a great book to pick up over Christmas to get you in the mood and bring you some Christmas cheer.

I eagerly await the next book and I look forward to immersing myself once again in the small town of Briar Creek, Olivia is an author that I will follow closely and who's books will be an auto-buy for me.

Loved the writing, story and the characters, a definite reread, especially closer to Christmas.

Highly recommended.

I give this 5/5 stars.

Olivia Miles lives in Chicago with her husband, young daughter, and two ridiculously pampered pups. As a city girl with a fondness for small-town charm, she enjoys incorporating both ways of life into her stories. Not a day goes by that Olivia doesn’t feel grateful for being able to pursue her passion, and sometimes she does have to pinch herself when she remembers she’s found her own Happily Ever After.